CBP is so intent on finding narcotics being smuggled inside vehicles heading north from the U.S.-Mexico border through the state of Texas that it wants to hire a vendor to extract narcotics and other contraband hidden inside hazmat trucks carrying toxic materials, such as well waste water, oil and drilling fluids.

The contractor would be expected to pull the hidden bundles of narcotics out of the solids, liquids or sludge contained in the vehicle; decontaminate the narcotics; and turn the contraband over to the U.S. CBP agents who will oversee the operations at two Border Patrol checkpoints in Texas. These extraction and decontamination operations will take place in Encino and Sarita, TX, according to a solicitation posted online by CBP on March 21.

“The illegal contraband is often found in non-purged tankers, but on some occasions may be found in other containment items,” says the CBP notice. “The contractor shall then remove and dispose of all contaminates encountered during the disinfecting of the illegal contraband.”